MICHAEL PROPHET Vinilo y CD

Review: The Evil Curse Of The Vampires remains an all-time classic in the pantheon of early 80s dub albums. There have been some wranglings between Greensleeves and Scientist, commonly credited to this album which he mixed, but now the credit rests with Henry 'Junjo' Lawes who was credited as producer. Either way, the music remains unchanged, resting heavy on Channel One's sharp-shooting Roots Radics band to lay down the tracks, and with a second disc carrying some brilliant vocal turns from Michael Prophet, Wayne Jarrett, Johnny Osbourne and many more. Seminal stuff for anyone who takes their dub seriously.

Review: The 'Gates Of Zion (Dub)' is a time-honoured fixture of the catalogue of Yabby You (real name Vivian Neville Jackson), the reggae vocalist and producer whose largely autodidactic and self-released work lent him a special credo during dub's 1970s heyday. With the original first appearing as a collaboration with Scientist and Michael Prophet on the album At The Dub Station in 1981, under the name 'Free Up Your Heart', the versions featured here on this imprint is far colder and less forgiving, skilfully working in snake-rattly curios and percussive oddities into a backbeat that effortlessly complements You's ghostly vocal delivery. Not one to be missed, 'Gates Of Zion' truly produces the feeling of approaching utopia's vine-leaved entrance; you, too, might get a pass, provided you add this one to your collection.

Review: Jah Life dig deep into the vaults for this new 7", which features some previously unreleased tunes. They are voiced by Michael Prophet (the pseudonym of the last Jamaican roots reggae singer Michael Haynes), who did so in the late 80s over a brilliant digital rhythm. He was always known for his crying vocal style and that is well exemplified here on 'In My Heart.' Flip it over and you will find 'Broad Back (dub)', a striped back but still stepping tune with that killer digital vibe shining bright.